Watermelon.rar <Certified · ROUNDUP>

: Common versions of the story claim that opening the file causes permanent damage to the computer—such as a specific type of malware that replaces all system icons with watermelons—or that the viewer begins to experience hallucinations or bad luck in real life. Reality and Context

: Some creators have made versions of the file as part of "Alternate Reality Games" (ARGs) or as "analog horror" art pieces to entertain fans of the genre. Watermelon.rar

: Links titled "Watermelon.rar" were often used in the mid-2000s to bait users into downloading malware or viewing "screamers" (videos designed to jump-scare the viewer). : Common versions of the story claim that

If you encounter a file with this name on a suspicious website, it is highly likely to be (a file that looks small but expands to fill your entire hard drive when extracted). It is best to avoid downloading or opening unsolicited .rar files from unknown sources. If you encounter a file with this name

The story typically follows a standard internet horror trope: a user discovers a strangely named file (in this case, Watermelon.rar ) on an old hard drive, a deep-web forum, or a peer-to-peer sharing site.